stoltz and c



M. STOLTZ AND DE W. LUKEN S.

(sun vzunma MACHINE.

APPLICATION fILED APR. 10. I915.

1 ,3 1 5 ,879. Patented Sept. 9, 1919.

3 $HEETS-SHEET 1.

M. STOLTZ AND 0. DE w. LUKENS.

Patentd Sept. 9, 1919,

3SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I w k W 2 a m \A :Q .3 o W. 7 7a 7% w 0 9 WW 0 7 M. STOLTZ AND C. DE W. 'LUKENS.

GUM VENDING MACHINE. APPLICATION men APR. 10. 1915.

Patented Sept 9, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 UNITED STATES PATENT oEFroE.

MELVILLE s'roLrz AND oLAnEncE Ins wrrr LnKE vs, or s'r. LOUIS, mssoonr.

GUM-(ENDING MAGHINE.

Specification of Letters ratent.

Patented Sept. 9, 1919.

Application filed April 10, 1915. Serial No. 20,458.

slot or opening. It is, however, found that V the article will often be overthrown so as to rest against the edge of the discharge opening, thereby preventing proper delivery.

One of the objects of this invention, there- -fore, is to provide a machine in which the deliver 'is positive and certain, and more particu arly to provide means whereby the article is given a preliminary discharge movement prior to its reaching the discharge openmg. 1

Another object is to providea vending machine, inwhich means'operates upon the delivery of the last article to close the coinreceiving slot and also look the vending mechanism in position, from which position the parts can only bechanged by an author ized person.

Another object is to provide a vendin machine which is simple in construction an operation, which can be easily refilled, and which occupies a small space. 1

Further objects will appear from the detail description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a vending machine embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, with the front platerenloved; j

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation withthe base plate cut away to show the interior-construe tion; M p

Fig. 4: is a section on the lineH, Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5, Fig. 4;; Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6, Fig.5; Fig. 7 is aside elevationof the carrier ,and Fig. 8 is a section on the line 88, Fig.6. Referring to the accompanying drawings, 10 designates the base, whiclrhas forwardly projecting flanges 11 to form a casing adapted to be secured to a wall or other suitable support. The center of the casing is enlarged, as shown at 12, to form a central cyl ndrical chamber, and in th s chamber is mounted a shaft or post 13 secured to the base plate and adapted to receive a rotatable carrier 14. This carrier has radial partitions 15 to provide a series ofradially extending pockets adapted toreceive the vended article G, such as gum, and these partitions 15 are connected by. circumferential parts 16, so as to strengthen the carrier. The carrier has a central bore 17 and a hub 18bored to fit the shaft 13, andthis carrier is secured in position b a washer 19 and nuts 20. In order tofrictionally hold the carrier in position, a sprin 21 is interposed between the washer 19 an the carrier, as shown in Fig. 4;. The carrier has a ratchet 22 engaged by a pawl 23 on a pawl lever 24, which is pivoted at 25 on the baseplate 10, and is normally moved to theright Fig. 3, by a leaf spring 26 fixed tothe base plate and bearin against the pawl carrier. The pawl is he d in engagement with the carrier ratchet by a leatspring 27, fixed, at one end, to the pawl carrier, and bearing, at its other end, on the pawl. A stop pawl 28, pivoted on the base plate 10, is moved into engagement with the ratchet bya leaf spring 29. The casing is, provided with a slotBO, with which the pockets are adapted to aline, and which discharges the vended article into a compartment 31. The carrier moves in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 2, and the vended articles are retained in the pockets by engagement with the inside of the casing. To the right of the slot30 the casing is undercut for some distance circumferentially of the carrier, as shown at 32, for a purpose hereinafter tobe described.

pawlcarrier 24 is engaged by the heel 36 of a 1ever37 pivoted at 38 on the base plate, and. having an arm 39 engaging a plunger 40 mounted in a bracket 41 on the ass plate. A spring 42 on the plunger bears against across pin 43, so as to normay move the plunger to the right, Fig. 5. carrier 4A is slotted toreceive a coin C, this slot extending completely through the carrier, as shownin Figs. 5 and 6. This carrierfhas a button 45 projecting through and bearing in the casing, and a shank l6 bearing in the bracket 41. This shank has mounted thereon a spring 47 hearing against the bracket and the carrier,so as to norcarrier, and is supported as hereinafter described. A pair of spaced cam lugs 50 on the bracket 41 are arranged on each side of the plunger 40, and in the path of the coin C. This-coin is arranged to rest on a pair of stationary rails 51 fixed in the casing, the inside faces 52 of the rails being close together wherethe coin enters, and these faces being cut away, as shownat .53, so asto permit the coin to drop therethrough. r I

A container 54 is removably mounted in thecasing, and this containerhas a guide or deflector 55 to guide or deflect the coininto the container. I r

The .carrier 14 is below the plunger 40,'so thatmovement of the carrier when no coin istherein'will not move the plunger 40, and will, therefore, not affect the carrier. When, however, a coin is inserted into the slot 48, this coin, dropping into the carrier, will rest on the edges 52 of the rails 51, and project sufficiently above the carrierso as to be in the path of the plunger. If the button 45 is now pressed inwardly, the coin, bearing against thev plunger, will move this plunger to the left, Fig. 5, and through engagement with the arm 39 of the lever 37 will swing this leverclockwise, Fig. 3, and move the pawl carrier 24, s0 as to rotate the carrier through one step and through one space, thereby causing one of the pockets to aline with theslot 30 and drop the article into the compartment 31,. moves to the left, Fig. 5, the coin moves into engagement with the stationary cam lugs 50, causingthesecam lugs to move the coin ,down'wardly, so that, when the carrier reaches the end of its movement, the coin will have been moved downwardly sufficiently to clear the plunger 40, so that the coin will drop on the deflector plate 55 and into the receptacle 54c. As a matter of fact, the coin, in slipping out ofengagement with the plunger, will be projected down: with some force. Upon release of the button, the partsare returned to normal position- The movement of the carrier 14 is comparatively rapid, so that the carrier is liable 'to overthrow, thereby causing the article to move past the slot and rest on the edge 33 .thereof, thereby preventing discharge. In accordance with this invention, thecasing is undercut circumferentially of the carrier, asshown at 32, for somedistance in advance of the slot 30,so that the articlecan drop before it reaches the slot. Even if the article-should stick -partway, this article will engage the edge 33 and act asan overthrow insert a slug instead of a coin. I In accord.-

ancewith this invention, the coin is tested by its diameter. This is readily accomplished, since the coin rests upon the edges As the carrier 44:

52 of the rails, and these edges can beacwith a slot 59 in. alinement with the slot in the carrier when this carrier is in normal position. The bottom 60 of this slot slopes downwardly, and this. .slot .or passage discharges through a slot 61 in the cover plate 62 on the casing. If, therefore, a coin of a smaller diameter, or a slug of smaller diameter than the coin for which the ma chine is designed, is inserted, this coin will drop between the rails and shoot out of the slot 61 toward the operator of the ma chine. Of course, the length of the slot 4.86

is so proportioned as to receive Only a coin of a certain diameter. Since the'edges 52 can be accurately spaced, and since coins are of uniform diameter within a few thou sandths of an inch, it will be seen that this furnishes a very accurate coin testing device.

In accordance with this invention, the carrier 14 is locked, in position and the coin slot closed when the machine is empty. The

thefork on a plate 710 pivoted at 72 .on the base plate, and connected with aslidcasing has, accordingly mounted therein, below the slot 48, a sliding plate 70 having. a downwardly projecting pin 71 engaging ing link 7 3 having a head 74 engaged by the forked end 7 5 of alever pivoted at 176 in the casing. The head .74: has fixed thereto a bolt 77, andthis bolt is normally moved downwardly by a spring 78 engagingthe lever. The bolt normally rests On a ledge A 7 9 on the carrier, and this ledge has a notch 80 "adapted to receive the pawl." The lever has a ro ecting part 81 adapted to be depressed when the cover is removed.

The carrier, when filled with the. articles,

isplaced slightly off center, so that the lowest article will still rest onthe undercut part 32. The notch 80 is: at this time so arranged that the bolt 77 will rest upon the ledge 79. The raising of this bolt can be accomplished by the manipulation of the handle 81, and this will, atthe same time, hold the .plate 70. out of the path of the slot l8", so as to open this slot.. Theparts are held in this position until the last compartment comes opposite the slot 30, at which timethe notch80 will come opposite the "bolt, and the bolt will snap in this notch, thereby looking the carrier against movement, and simultaneously closing the coin slot;

In order to provide means for observing how many articles are still in the carrier, the casing is provided with an apertured lug 82,. which is closed by glass, through which the numbers 83. on the carrier may be observed. In this way it is readily ascertained how many articles are still inqthe ca rie The cover 62 is pro id with a flange 91 taking over the casing, at itsbottom, with a lug 90 entering an aperture in the casing, and at its top, with a suitable keeper engaging a lock 92 in the casin A keyhole 93 is provided to receive a key. The casing is provided, opposite the compartment, with an aperture 941-, and also with a label carrier 95. The casing itself is also provided with a similar label carrier 96. The carrier can, therefore, be readily refilled by removing the cover plate, and the coin receptacle 54: can, at this time, also be emptied.

It is obvious that various changes may be made in the details of the construction without departing from the spirit of this invention. It is therefore, to be understood that this invention is not to be limited to the specific construction shown and described.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a vending machine, a movable carrier for vendible articles, means for moving said carrier to article discharging position, means cooperating with one of the vendible articles for holding the carrier in said position, and means for insuring such cooperation of the article with said holding means.

2. In a vending machine, a movable carrier for vendible articles, means for moving said car-ier to discharge one of the articles therefrom, a stop constructed and arranged for cooperative engagement with said vendible article to prevent the latter moving past the point of discharge, and means for insuring engagement of the article with said stop.

3. In a vending machine having a dis-- charge opening, a movable carrier for vendi- 'ble articles, means for imparting motion to said carrier for discharging an article through said opening, and means permitting an initial projection of the vendible article to be discharged as it advances toward, and prior to reaching, said opening.

4:. In a vending machine having a dis charge opening, a carrier for the vendible articles movable to discharge said articles successively through said opening, a stop disposed for engagement by one of said vendible articles and for cooperation with said article to prevent overthrow of the carrier past said opening, means pern'iitting an initial projection of the vendible article into the path of and for engagement with said stop, and means for imparting motion to the carrier for discharging an article through said opening.

5. I11 a vending machine, having a discharge opening, a movable carrier for vendible articles, and means for moving the carrier to discharge an article through said opening, said parts being constructed and arranged to permit an initial movement of the vendible article to a position to engage the far wall of the opening and prevent movement of the article past said openin 6. In a vending machine having a discharge opening, a movable carrier having a pocket formed to receive the vendible article and permit escape of said article therefrom, means for moving the carrier to discharge the article through said opening, and means permitting partial escape of the vendible article from said pocket prior to arriving over said discharge opening.

7. In a vending machlne, a casing havlng a discharge opening, a carrier for moving for causing a preliminary movement of the.

vendible article from said carrier before it reaches said opening, adapting the article to engage a wall of the opening and prevent movement of the article past said opening.

9. In a vending machine, the combination with means for supporting vendible articles, of means for discharging the vendible articles, and means for causing a preliminary discharging movement of the vendible arti cles prior to reaching the point of discharge for preventing movement of the articles past the discharge point.

10. In a vending machine, the combination with a casing having a discharge opening, of means for moving the vendible articles for discharge through said opening, and means for causing a preliminary discharging movement of the vendible article before it reaches said opening, adapting said article to engage the wall of the opening and insure its proper discharge therethrough.

11. A vending machine comprising a casing, a carrier shaft mounted therein, a carrier for the vendible articles rotatably sustained by said shaft, a spring mounted and retained on said shaft, constructed and arranged for retarding said carrier and frictionally holding the same against retrograde movement, and a removable face plate for said casing.

Intestimony whereof we ailix our signatures April, 1915.

MELVILLE STOLTZ.

CLARENCE DE WITT LUKENS.

copies 0! this potent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 01' Iatents, Washington, D. O. 

